For most women, there’s nothing sexier than a man who knows his way around the kitchen… and chef extraordinaire Curtis Stone is living proof. At 6’3”, the handsome Australian has made a name for himself as the host of TLC’s “Take Home Chef.” Now his cookbook, Cooking With Curtis, lets women everywhere bring home the man who’s making gourmet cooking more appetizing than ever...

There are celebrity chefs… and then there’s ultra-cute Curtis Stone, the 32-year-old cooking guru who scored a place on People magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive in 2006 list.

But Stone is far more than a pretty face.

Although he’s a relative newcomer compared to Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali and other culinary icons, the lad from Down Under is already in a league of his own.

In this LifeScript exclusive, Stone dishes on everything from his cookbook to the foods he can’t live without.

In a novel twist on cooking shows, “Take Home Chef”features Stone approaching a random stranger (usually a woman) in the supermarket and offering to help her prepare a simple gourmet meal. During the 30-minute program, he and his new protégé prepare a mouthwatering meal with ease. With his guidance, even a novice can whip up a feast featuring dishes like Seafood Won Ton Soup, Ginger Poached Black Bass and Stir-Fried Pea Shoots With Garlic.

He’s an accomplished chef who got his start cooking at the Savoy Hotel in Melbourne, Australia at the age of 18.

He’s traveled all over the world and worked in the kitchen alongside renowned chef Marco Pierre White at both the Café Royal in London and Mirabelle in Long Island, New York.

In addition, he served as head chef at Quo Vadis in London and Restaurant 301 in Eureka, California. These days, he lives in Los Angeles.

Inspired by the success of his cooking show, Stone then released Cooking With Curtis: Easy, Everyday and Adventurous Recipes for the Home Cook (Whitecap Books, 2006).

The book is broken down by season and features more than 70 recipes using various combinations of just 24 ingredients.

He also separates recipes into three levels of difficulty: easy, everyday and adventurous.

For example, Roast Rack of Lamb with a Honey and Rosemary Crust made it on the easy list, Roast Rump of Lamb With Braised Spring Peas and Morels is an everyday meal and Warm Salad of Smoked Lamb with a Cabernet Sauvignon Vinaigrette is for when you’re feeling adventurous.

According to Stone, people need to think outside the box rather than serving up the same old menu.

“If you ask people ‘What do you cook?’, their repertoire of dishes is pretty small,” Stone tells LifeScript.

“It’s usually between five and eight dishes that people profess to have down pat – meals like a good lasagna or a shepherd’s pie. You have to introduce people slowly to something new and also teach them to do something that is initially really simple," he says.

“For example, try to bring in asparagus as an appetizer with dinner or with breakfast. The cookbook teaches you the basics of asparagus and, once you can cook asparagus as part of your repertoire, you can expand on it and add on to it as a building block. It’s about teaching people without biting off more than they can chew.”

You can enjoy scrumptious foods and still fit into your favorite pair of pants.

His secret: Shop smart and avoid the plethora of processed products lining the shelves.

If you read the ingredient lists of many pre-packaged foods, it’s hard to make heads or tails of what you’re eating, he says.

“If somebody said ‘Can you try to make that for me?’, I wouldn’t even know where to start or even what ingredients to use,” Stone says of packaged foods. “There’s nothing wrong with cooking foods that are high in fat. If it’s natural, then it’s fine. A good balanced diet is the way to go. Most people get their fat intake through processed foods.”

Keeping It FreshStone also encourages shoppers to “get fresh.”

One of the biggest mistakes people make, he says, is shopping too far ahead.

Instead of buying a few items at a time, they spend $200 and purchase enough food for the next few weeks.

Stone advises people to be spontaneous, rather than plan out what you’ll eat days ahead. Pick out foods that tickle your fancy each day.

“Shop one or two days in advance,” Stone suggests. “Swing by and pick up the ingredients you need. Go shopping without a plan. Walk into a farmer’s market or a grocery store and whatever your eye sees, go for it. Grab some salad leaves. If you see some nice fresh shrimp or calamari, make a seafood salad. Prepare the shrimp with some butter, lemon juice and parsley."

Stone enjoys seasonal fruits for breakfast, fish or beef with a salad and veggies at lunch, and a salad for dinner.

His day wouldn’t be complete without some chocolate or ice cream.

Stone’s Five FavoritesLike any food aficionado, Stone has staples he can’t live without. Next are five of his must-have foods, along with a gourmet recipe pairing:

1. EggsThey’re basic, yet you can make countless dishes with them, from omelets to soufflés.

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the cream and mix until combined. 2. Chop half of the black truffle and finely slice the rest. 3. Set the sliced truffle aside for garnish. 4. Add the chopped truffle and parsley to the egg mixture and combine.5. Melt the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat and add the egg mixture. 6. Don’t stir the eggs for 30 seconds, then start to gently move the egg mixture around the pan with a wooden spoon, creating curds of egg. 7. Toast the bread and place the eggs on the toast. 8. Garnish with the sliced truffle and serve.

2. Wine and ChampagneWine and champagne add a dash of elegance and sophistication to any dish. You can vary the taste of a dish each time you prepare it by experimenting with a different vintage.

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, add the shallot and sweat until soft. 2. Add the champagne and cook until reduced by two-thirds. 3. Add the cream and bring to a near simmer, then add the oyster juice. 4. Strain the sauce through a sieve into a saucepan and return to the heat for 30 seconds. Do not allow the sauce to boil. 5. Add the oysters to the sauce and leave to poach for 20 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat, leaving the oysters in the sauce for another 30 seconds. 6. Remove the oysters from the sauce and place back in their shells, arranging on serving plates. 7. Use a hand-held blender to foam the sauce. 8. Add the caviar to the sauce, spoon over the oysters and serve.

3. LambStone enjoys lamb year-round and praises it for its versatility.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Place the dry bread in a food processor and pulse until breadcrumbs form. 3. Add the chopped rosemary and season well with salt and pepper. 4. Add the melted butter, mix together, then transfer the crust mixture to a shallow dish. 5. Heat a large frying pan and sear the lamb on all sides, then remove. 6. Mix the honey and mustard together in a small mixing bowl and spread over the lamb as a glaze. 7. Dip the glazed lamb into the crust mixture until completely covered and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the lamb. 8. Leave the lamb to rest for 5 minutes, then carve and serve.

4. Shrimp and ScallopsFresh seafood is available year round, but Stone likes it best paired with other light spring ingredients, like those below.

1. Preheat a barbecue or griddle pan to high heat. 2. Drizzle the prawns (shrimp) with a little olive oil and place them, flesh-side down, on the barbecue or in the pan and cook for 30 to 60 seconds. 3. Turn the prawns over, add chilies, lemon zest and parsley, and squeeze the lemon juice over them. 4. As soon as the prawns are cooked to a solid white color (about 30 to 60 seconds), remove from the heat, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve immediately.

1, Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. 2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it is almost, but not quite, simmering. 3. Once the cream is near a simmer, very slowly pour it into the bowl of chocolate, stirring constantly. 4. Heat the Kahlua in a separate saucepan to a near boil. Be careful; the liquid can ignite if it gets too hot. 5. Slowly add the Kahlua to the chocolate and cream mixture and serve hot with fruit and biscuits (cookies) for dipping.

What's Your Chocolate IQ?For as long as you can remember, chocolate has been a part of your life. From hot chocolate to truffles, women especially have an intimate relationship with chocolate. In good times and bad, it's always been there to soothe your soul. But how much do you really know about your favorite sweet treat? Find out now with this chocolate quiz.